Police-patrol signal-box



E. BROMBAGHER.

X 0 B L A N nu T.. S ,L 0 R T A P E T. L P

(No Model.)

Patented July 2, 1895.

K"IHIIHHIHHHHHHIIIIHHIIHHHIHHHIIIIIHIHIHHHHH IIHHHHHIIHIIHIHIII fla i UNITED 7 STATES` PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL BROMBAOHER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

POLICE-PATROL SIGNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,074, dated July 2, 1895.

Application filed November Zd, 1894;. Serial No. 529,949. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL BROMBACHER, a citizen ot the United States, residing at the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Police-Patrol Signal- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more especially to the signal-boxes which are used in connection with police-patrol systems and which are located in the patrol houses or boxes stationed in different parts ofthe city. These signalboxes have heretofore been provided with means for giving an urgent call, commonly7 termed a fast call, or one requiring no special haste, and termed a slow call, This has been accomplished by arranging on the inner side of the door of the box a projection which, when the door is closed, presses an opi erating or switch button of Jthe signal mechanism into the proper position for giving a fast call; but this construction requires the door to be opened for allowing the button to assume its projecting position when it is desired to give a slow call. Such signal-boxes have also been provided with a device for giving either a fast or slow call without opening the door of the box; but the same is so contrived that in case the parts are shifted from the fast to the slow call position they cannot be moved back to the fast-call vposition without opening the door.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide the box with simple means whereby the fast and slow call button can be shifted from one position to the other under all circumin their normal position.

stances without the necessity of opening the door of the box.

A further object of my invention is to facilitate the operation of the other signal-buttons with which these boxes are usually provided.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved signal-box, showing the fast and slow callin its projecting or slow-call position andthe other buttons Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the box. tal section of the same, taken through the supplemental buttons on the door of the box,

. showing the buttons projected. Figglt is a fragmentary horizontal section of the signal- Fig. 3 is a horizon-` box, showing the fast and slow call buttons in the fast-call position.

Like letters of referenceret'er to like parts 55 in the severalfigures.

A represents the body ofthe signal-box, and A its hinged door. 1

B is the case arranged in the box and inclosing the signal mechanism. This signal 6o mechanism may be of any well-known ccnstruction, having movable buttons which control the signaling devices or circuits. In the drawings my improvements are shown in connection with the well-known-Gamewell elec- 65 tric signal mechanism, and as the signal mechanism itself forms no part of my invention only such parts thereof are shown as are necessary to illustrate the application of my improvements to the same. i

C is the fast and slow call button of the signal mechanism, and C C2 C3 C4 are the other call-buttons with which the signal mechanism is commonly provided and which may be employed for giving various other calls, such as 7 5 a fire-signal, a wagon-report signal, au ambulance-call, or a call for reserve or extra ofncers. These various buttons project through openings in the front wall ot' the case Bin the ordinary manner.

c is the stem ot the fast and slow call button, which is guided and supported by the usual means. c2 is the spring which tends to move the said button into its projected or` slow-call position.

c3 is the usual reciprocating-rod for controlling the electric signal circuit or circuits in a well-known manner, and c4 the lever whereby. the movements of the fast and slow call buttou are transmitted to said rod. `9o

The other call-buttons are provided with' similar springs for projecting them and with the usual means for breaking the respective circuits when the buttons are in their normal projected position and for closing or estab- 95- lish'ing the circuits when the buttons are. pressed in.

D D D2 D3 D4 represent a series of supplemental signal or push buttons arranged on the door of the box and adapted tooperate roo the main signal-buttons C, C', C2, C3, and C4, respectively. The inner ends of these supplemental buttons are arranged directly opposite or in line with the main signal buttons and extend forwardly through guide-openings formed in the door, so as to be accessible from the outer side of the door when the latter is closed. Each of these supplemental push-buttons is held in its normal or projected position by a spring e, surrounding its stern between a flange or shoulder e', formed on the stem, andthe rear wall of a casing F, secured to the rear side of the door and inclosing the springs of the several supplemental buttons. This casing is formed in its rear wall with openings f for the passage of the supplemental buttons.

G i's an escutcheon or face plate applied to the front side of the door and provided above the supplemental buttons with name-plates g, bearing the designations of the corresponding buttons, as shown. This escutcheon-plate is provided with openings for the passage of the supplemental buttons.

Theseveral supplemental buttons are made of such a length that when they are in their normal projected position and the door is closed they do not press in the main signalbuttons, but are slightly separated therefrom, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

H represents the usual hook or handle, whereby the signal mechanism is operated for sending a signal to headquarters, the hook being for this purpose pulled down and released in the ordinary manner.

I represents a catch or locking bolt arranged on the outer side of the door of the signalbox and adapted to engage with the supplemental operating-button D of the fast and slow call button for retaining the same in its depressed or fast-call position, as shown in Fig. 4. This catch preferably consists of a sliding bolt which is guided in a housing t', secured to the front side of the door adjacent to the fast and slow call button, and which is pressed outward by a spring i', surrounding the shank of the bolt between a shoulder on the same and the rear end of said housing, as shown. The latter is provided in its front end with an opening through which the bolt passes. The bolt is provided in its front side with a retracting kob or button t2, the stein of which passes through a longitudinal slot t3, formed in the outer wall of the housing i. When the supplemental fast and slow call button is in its projecting position, the outer end of the spring-bolt bears against the side of the button and its spring is compressed, as shown in Fig. 3, while when said button is pushed inward beyond the uspring-bolt the latter is moved outward in front of the outer end of the button, as shown in Fig. 4, thus overlapping the same and retaining it in that position.

The greater percentage of calls are slow calls, and the fast and slow call button is for this reason preferably allowed to remain normally in its released or slow Acall position. When it is desired to give a slow call, it is only necessary to unlock and open the door of the patrol-house and pull down and release the hook H, the proper signalcircuit being already established by the outward position of the fast and slow call button. When it is desired to give a fast call, the fast and slow call v button is first pressed in by meansof its supplemental button and the hook H is then operated. The spring-bolt holds the button in its depressed position, so that the hook can be operated by the same hand as that used for depressing the button. The officer can thus retain his hold upon a prisoner with one hand while giving the signal with the other. After a fast call has been given, the fast and slow call button is readily reset for a slow call by withdrawing the spring-bolt, when the main signal-button and its supplemental button are allowed to return to their projected position under the reaction of their springs. The fast and slow call button can by this means be moved from its fast call to its slow call position, or vice versa, under all conditions without opening the door of the signal-box, rendering the box more convenient in use.

If preferred, the fast and slow call button may be normally retained in the fast-call p0- sition, so that the box is always ready for a fast call, in which case the locking-catch would be retracted to release' the button for giving a slow call.

When it is desired to givev anyof the calls other than the slow or fast calls, the corresponding supplemental button is pressed in,

so as to push in the opposing main signalbutton, and the hook is pulled down. By cornbining these supplemental buttons with the main signal-buttons the latter, like the fast and slow call button, can beconveniently and quickly operated without opening the door of the signal-box and without requiring any changein the construction of the signal mechanism or the main signal-buttons.

The signalboxes usually contain a telephone by which a patrolman can communicate with police-headquarters, and this telephone and the signaling mechanism are protected by the door, which latter prevents access to these parts, except by an officer who has a key to the door. The latter' is included in the electric circuit in such a manner that it is cutout of circuit when closed and shunted into circuit when opened, the object of this arrangement being to prevent waste of the battery. When the door is left inadvertently open after giving a call or vusing the telephone, which happens not infrequently, the power of the battery is wasted and the efficiency of the other boxes on the same section of the system is impaired. My improvement renders it unnecessary to open the door, except when access to the telephone or the signaling mechanism is desired, and the chances of leaving the door open are thereby greatly reduced. v

It is customary to give keys for the patrol- ICO IIO

but the keys for the doors of the signal-boxes taining the same and adapted to contain a telephone, and the door closing said box, of a supplemental push button arranged in the door in line with the internal switch button and accessible from the outer side of the door, whereby the internal switch button can be operated by the outer push button without opening the door, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a signal mechanism having a fast and slow call button, and the box and doorinclosing the same, of a supplemental actuating push button arranged in the door opposite said call button and accessible from the outer side of the door,'and a lock or catch arranged on the door and adapted to engage with said supplemental push button for holding the same in its depressed `position, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a signal mechanism having'a fast and slow call button and the box and door inclosing the same, of a supplemental actuating push button arranged on the door in line with said call button, and extending outward through the door, and a `spring bolt arranged on the outer side of the door and adapted to interlock with the supplemental push button, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 20th day of November, 1894.

' EMIL BROM BAOHER.

Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, THEO. L. PoPP. 

